AGEISM IN THE USE AND DESIGN OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: A THEORETICAL MODEL

Abstract Ageism is currently defined as a main societal challenge for successful and healthy aging. Concurrently, the vast development of digital technology in the last decades highlights a newly under-researched intersection of ageism and the use and design of digital technology. However, a theoretical model explicating how ageism may influence the use and design of technology is currently missing. A proposed model was created based on a mixed-methods approach combining findings from 5 studies of a doctoral dissertation. The integrated analysis identified manifestations of ageism in stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination regarding the use and design of technology, appearing explicitly and implicitly, mainly in a negative context and on different levels (micro-individual, meso-social interaction, and macro-design and policy). Use and design of technology were found to be entangled together. Importantly, two main paradoxes are highlighted. First, the fixation on designing care and healthcare technologies, stereotypically disregarding the diversity of other needs of older persons. A second paradox was found in the discrepancy between acknowledging the “ideal” practice of involving older persons throughout the whole design process, and the actual practice of limited involvement. Ultimately leading to biases in the design process and exclusion of older persons. Consequently, emerging technologies often have low adoption rates, which are further (stereotypically) attributed to the incompetence of older persons to use digital technology, and are contrary to the increase in actual use and motivations older persons have to use technologies that can promote their well-being. Implications of the model for policy and future research are discussed.

at younger ages and lowest at older ages.Together, results indicate annual rates of insomnia and unhealthy alcohol use during COVID were highest in midlife women but increased over time across ages, signaling a potential need for intervention and prevention efforts aimed at addressing sleep health and alcohol use across mid-late adulthood.

THE ASSOCIATIONS OF OPIOID USE IN GUN-RELATED FATALITIES AMONG OLDER DECEDENTS IN FLORIDA
Armiel Suriaga, Ruth Tappen, and David Newman, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, United States In 2020, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported the highest firearm deaths in the U.S. at 45, 222.Homicides and suicides accounted for most fatalities.However, the role of opioids in firearm-related deaths (FRD) among older adults was less explored.Our study aimed to investigate the associations between opioid use and FRD among people >65 years with opioids detected in their system at time of death.We used descriptive statistics to describe decedents' characteristics using the 2021 Florida Department of Law Enforcement de-identified data.We used Pearson's chi-square and logistic regression to examine the associations of opioids to FRD.All data were analyzed using Stata 17.A total of 1982 older decedents were included in the analysis.Age ranged from 65-100 years, mean 72.97 (SD=7.331).Three hundred thirty of 1982 deaths (16.65%) were gunrelated; 121 of 330 (14.79%) had opioid involvement.More males (n=274) (83.03%) died than females; 316 (95.76%) were non-Hispanic whites, followed by black (n=10, 3.03%).Suicides accounted for most FRDs (n=330, or 90.91%), and homicide second (n=28 or 7.88%).The association between opioid use to FRD was statistically significant (p<.001).The odds of dying from FRD among older adults with any opioid use increased by .57compared to those who never used any opioid, controlling for opioids combined with other substances, age, gender, and population density, OR=.57(95% CI .41-.79).Our results have safety clinical implications as more older adults use opioids, e.g. for chronic pain, which calls for tailored interventions to protect older population.

PERCEPTIONS OF AND ATTITUDES TOWARD AGING
Abstract citation ID: igad104.2691

AGEISM IN THE USE AND DESIGN OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY: A THEORETICAL MODEL Ittay Mannheim, Ben Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, HaDarom, Israel
Ageism is currently defined as a main societal challenge for successful and healthy aging.Concurrently, the vast development of digital technology in the last decades highlights a newly under-researched intersection of ageism and the use and design of digital technology.However, a theoretical model explicating how ageism may influence the use and design of technology is currently missing.A proposed model was created based on a mixed-methods approach combining findings from 5 studies of a doctoral dissertation.The integrated analysis identified manifestations of ageism in stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination regarding the use and design of technology, appearing explicitly and implicitly, mainly in a negative context and on different levels (micro-individual, meso-social interaction, and macro-design and policy).Use and design of technology were found to be entangled together.Importantly, two main paradoxes are highlighted.First, the fixation on designing care and healthcare technologies, stereotypically disregarding the diversity of other needs of older persons.A second paradox was found in the discrepancy between acknowledging the "ideal" practice of involving older persons throughout the whole design process, and the actual practice of limited involvement.Ultimately leading to biases in the design process and exclusion of older persons.Over the lifespan individuals may internalize ageist beliefs and as they enter older age, direct them towards themselves.This internalized ageism has many deleterious effects.Despite this, few theory-based interventions have attempted to decrease internalized ageism.As such, a six-week online program was developed including education, acceptance and commitment therapy, and attributional retraining to target mechanisms of change (psychological flexibility, mindfulness, perceived control, and empowerment).The six 90-minute sessions consisted of recorded videos, and discussion groups, with during and between-session activities also being part of the program.To evaluate the feasibility of this intervention, a sub-sample of 81 program participants (58 -85 years old, 92% female) were sent an online questionnaire following each session.Each session received between 77 and 80 responses.Results were overwhelmingly positive.On a scale of 1 (not very useful) to 5 (very useful), roughly two-thirds (65%) rated the program as a whole very useful.Items participants felt the most important to learn included ageism information, acceptance and commitment therapy tools, and reimagining what it means to age well.Participant's opinion on what they liked most about the program varied.Among others, common aspects identified were the informational videos, the activities, and the discussion groups.Roughly 81% of participants indicated that they completed the between-session activities, and 79% completed bonus activities.The vast majority indicated the program changed their views on ageism and/or internalized ageism.Going forward, we will evaluate this program's ability to decrease internalized ageism, and the processes by which it achieves this.

AN EXAMINATION OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE PERCEPTION OF ELDERSPEAK
Abby Teply 1 , Hanna Schultz 2 , and Jeffrey Buchanan 2 , 1. University of Wyoming,Laramie,Wyoming,United States,2. Minnesota State University,Mankato,Mankato,Minnesota,United States This study aimed to examine how gender impacts perceptions of elderspeak.Participants (n = 81; ages 65-93) were presented with one of two vignettes set in an assisted living facility to simulate the experience of being a recipient of elderspeak.The vignettes were identical except that the gender of the nursing assistant (NA) differed across vignettes.After reading the vignette, participants were asked to rate their emotional reactions using an adapted version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (Watson et al., 1988) and rate their perceptions of the NA using the Emotional Tone Rating Scale (Williams et al., 2012).Because the goal of the study was to determine possible interactions between the gender of participants and the gender of the NA in the vignette, a two-way MANOVA was utilized.Results indicated a difference in positive and negative affect scores across vignette conditions.Specifically, there was evidence that participants reported lower positive affect and greater negative affect when elderspeak was used by a male NA compared to a female NA.Results suggest that both older men and women perceive elderspeak more negatively when it is used by a male compared to a female.However, elderspeak is not received well, regardless of who uses it, suggesting a need for a nursing assistant training curriculum focused on personcentered communication.Future research should include a more diverse sample in terms of ethnic identity, cultural background, sexual orientation, and gender identity to determine whether these results generalize to a larger population of older adults.Ageism toward older people is prevalent in Korean healthcare settings, where older adults are likely to encounter other age groups of people.However, not many studies took close attention to ageism in the dental hygiene field.Considering the increase in dental care demand among the older population, this study aims to investigate the level of ageism and the factors associated with ageism among Korean dental hygiene undergraduates and dental hygienists.Based on the convenience sampling strategy, a total of 146 online surveys were collected from July to September 2022 in Seoul and Daejeon, Korea.Aging anxiety, ageist attitude, intergenerational contact measures, demographic characteristics, and geriatric-related experiences of participants were asked.Higher scores indicate lower aging anxiety and higher ageism.The mean (±SD) age of participants was 24 (±6.05) years.The mean score of aging anxiety was 2.97 (±.52) out of 5 and the mean score of ageism was 2.10 (±.31) out of 7. In the multiple regression model, aging anxiety is significantly Consequently, emerging technologies often have low adoption rates, which are further (stereotypically) attributed to the incompetence of older persons to use digital technology, and are contrary to the increase in actual use and motivations older persons have to use technologies that can promote their well-being.Implications of the model for policy and future research are discussed.Abstract citation ID: igad104.2692AN EVALUATION OF REIMAGINE AGING: A NEW THEORY-BASED PROGRAM TO REDUCE INTERNALIZED AGEISM Dallas Murphy, Michelle Porter, and Corey Mackenzie, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANXIETY ABOUT AGING AND AGEISM TOWARD OLDER ADULTS AMONG KOREAN DENTAL HYGIENE WORKFORCE Jenny
Kwon, Michael Hughes, and Anh Vo, Miami  University, Oxford, Ohio, United States